I don't get eaten by hungry crabs or any other monsters over night, which is quite a relief if you come to think of it. No, in fact the night is exceptionally quiet. Neither [Perception] nor [Danger Sense] get triggered. I almost, but really only almost, regret not sleeping any deeper.

[*Ding!* You slept. Not bad, but not terribly well either! Health increased by 0! Mana increased by 1!]

It's a good thing that I don't have plans to change shape a whole lot today. I probably have to be thankful that I regenerated any Mana at all. Well, my reserves should be good enough to use [Identify] once or twice without second thoughts or regrets. I'll use it once at least, on one of those crabs for sure.

First I stretch a little before I rekindle my fire though. I don't have any tea, but I still heat my water before drinking it, just to be sure. Afterwards I climb the same tree as yesterday to get my bearing again. No skill progress for my [Climbing] skill is made this way today, but my [Survival] and [Perception] skills improves a smidgen, as I spot the thin columns of smoke rising from the city in the distance.

In the other direction I spot one of the small tributaries of the river on my side for a change. I'll follow it in search of Rock Crabs for a bit. And honestly, even if I couldn't spot the city due to the many cooking fires I would still find my way back to it by simply following the creek and later the river. That way it's almost impossible to get lost. I won't get to know much of the surrounding woods either though, if I always stick to creeks and rivers.

Then it's time to set out again. I make sure that I have everything packed back up and that the fire is properly extinguished. Then I head to the spot where the creek meets the river. From there on I start to move with even greater care. I'm a hunter on the prowl now.

Being stealthy soon pays off and not just my [Stealth] skill improves a little once more either. Unlike the bigger river, the little creek seems pretty popular with the local wildlife. If I were a real hunter I'd probably be able to quickly get my hand on some meat and pelts here. I'm not though. And while boars and deer are of interest, they aren't what I'm looking for. Not enough legs. No thick, rocky shell. No pincers either. Well, at least I get to behold one of those magnificent stags in a not zombified state. That's nice too.

I note a number of smaller creatures, like squirrels and various rodents, as well. Those are all much more careful though, which makes me suspect that other hunters might be on the prowl too. Other hunters I'm as of yet unaware of. I can only hope that I'm too big and tough looking for any predator that usually goes after mice and squirrels.

In all likelihood foxes and forest lynxes are some of the predators out and about there. Wolves and bears are creatures I might encounter too and while an individual wolf probably isn't a problem a whole pack on the hunt is something else entirely and a confrontation with a hungry or angry bear is something I'd rather avoid completely too. I might be able to take one on, but I don't feel like finding out if I'm right or not. It's especially the latter possibility that has me a little worried. It's all the more reason to move with the greatest care possible and as stealthy as I possibly can. This cautious approach earns me another partial increase for my [Stealth] skill long before I get to spot my first Rock Crab.

And what a crab it is! With its legs it's probably about as big as I am. Since much of that size is due to its legs though it should, in all honesty, be less massive than me, except, this is no ordinary crab, it's a Rock Crab. Due to the thick rocky shell it looks like a boulder scuttling about.

And according to my recent reading in Wielimir's illustrated guide of the frontier's wildlife this particular exemplar is far from the largest ever seen, as they keep growing as long as they find enough food. And food is pretty available in abundance here in the woods of the frontier. These crabs aren't exactly picky eaters either.

This particular specimen is busy digging into some mushrooms growing in the shade of a tree on the bank of the creek. It's demolishing the pretty sizable mushrooms at an astonishing speed too. My mouth stands open for a moment as I watch a dozen big mushrooms disappear just like that.

Even just observing my chosen prey like that I can see a new problem with the quest I did not take. For the quest I'd have to look for two smaller specimen. This one might be far from the largest, but there is no way I could take back two of this size to the city. Not given my own rather delicate stature as Viviona and the fact that strength is not exactly my best stat. One I could manage. But two? Of this size? No way.

In fact, maybe I should try and look for a slightly smaller one for the first fight anyway. Sure, I have taken on some bigger and more fearsome enemies already, but that was out of necessity and desperation. This time around I have a choice. Thus I carefully back off again to continue my trek upstream along the creek.

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I don't have to keep going for long either until I finally find a Rock Crab that looks a little more manageable in my eyes. It's not that much smaller than the other one to be honest, but every little bit matters in my eyes.

My [Perception] skill gets a little boost out of this one too, as this crab is making the best use of its natural rocky appearance to prey on fish in turn. If I hadn't been looking for Rock Crabs specifically I might just have wandered past it without taking note. The thought sends a shiver down my back. The idea that some of the larger boulders might be crabs waiting for a tasty morsel of my size to wander right in front of them is not exactly reassuring. I better keep my eyes wide open! I better not make camp anywhere too close to a creek either!

Well, it's time to end this little game of cat and mouse. I just hope I don't end up being the mouse, although my concerns in that regard aren't all too pressing. After all the crab hasn't even taken notice of me so far, too focused on its own prey, the darting fish in the creek, as it is. I'm moderately certain that no bigger crab or other predator is sneaking up on me either, as [Danger Sense] is not rearing its head at all.

I'm torn regarding another decision though. Should I go for an all out sneak attack? Or should I identify the creature first, just in case and to finally improve the skill once more since it has been sitting unused for entirely too long. The latter would very much give me away though.

In the end I decide to try and time my skill use and my attack just right. That probably will be for the best. Anyway, it's time to get dangerous!

With the greatest care I grab my new second hand buckler and draw my weapon in preparation for a first lunge and thrust at one of the spots where one of the legs meets the crabs main body. There is a gap in the rocky shell there. My [Stealth] skill improves some more as I do.

Then, as I'm ready, I focus on the creature and trigger me [Identify] skill. A little of my Mana drains away, a feeling that isn't quite as bad anymore as it was, and a moment later the expected results come in.

[Rock Crab (Earth, Uncommon, Level 7)]

Only one class? I have to admit, I actually blink in surprise. I expected two, given that these creatures supposedly have earth and water powers. I guess I was wrong. I can't drop my guard anyway.

The crab in turn has no such issues. My invasion of its privacy has certainly not gone unnoticed and it, of course, gets treated as a hostile act. One moment the crab is focused on the fish in the creek, the next it turns around with surprising speed, to face me. It scuttles off its previous perch too and retreats a little back into the water of the creek too.

It's only now that I really get to see its pincers. They are formidable natural weapons for sure.

Of course my hesitation means that the initial target for my attack is now out of reach. Thankfully the crab has some vulnerable spots up front too, even if getting at them means that I'll have to get into range of those pincers. Well, maybe I'll save that for later and start with a more basic exchange of blows first. Mostly to goad it into using its water based attack skill on me as I retreat again. I'm not just doing this for the tasty crab treats after all.

I lunge forward, for a first probing attack aiming for one of the pincers. As I do I add a little battle banter, even if I'm pretty sure that it'll be lost on my opponent this time around.

"Well, my dear Crab Pot, lets find out what you have got."

Even as I lunge a change washes over the creature. It's carapace becomes even more rock like and as my blade strikes it, it's like I'm actually hitting rock. I wince a little. That will be hard on my poor sword. Maybe that is another reason why this quest is unpopular.

[*Ding!* Hit! Rock Crab's Health reduced by 25!]

Well, there is that at least. The hit is pretty decent, even if it isn't a critical hit.

The crab certainly feels it, as it withdraws the pincer I have hit. It doesn't retaliate with the other pincer either, as I withdraw again. Instead it goes straight for the magical water attack, just as I have been hoping it would. Of course it doesn't exactly cast a spell like a wizard would. Its attack is more instinctive than that. It partially submerges itself and as it comes up again it spits a gob of water at me. A gob of water that moves with enough speed and hits with enough force that only magic can explain it.

It's a little different from the nasty spore cloud used by the mushroom zombies, as the water missile is an actual physical projectile. My defensive skills are not utterly useless this time. Well, not all of them anyway, as I still consciously take it full on instead of dodging it. I don't even use my buckler to block in fact, which earns me a little progress for my [Clothes] skill.

[*Ding!* You have been wounded! Health reduced by 2!]

That notification is very much expected. The low damage matches what I feel, or rather don't feel much at all too. Another notification is quick to follow.

[*Ding!* Your skill Spell Resistance has leveled up to level 2!]

This one counts towards the progress of my masked mediator class. This one might just level up before I return to the city if I'm lucky. I grin like a madwoman in response, baring my teeth.

"Well, well, well, my delicious little morsel. Is that all you have got? If that's it, I can do this all day long. You should try harder."

The crab of course doesn't understand me. It does understand though, that it's in trouble. Deep trouble in fact.

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